Translating Policy into Action
National and Pennsylvania Conferences Address
School Funding
In mid-November, the Education Policy and Leadership
Center (EPLC) and 15 additional Pennsylvania organizations
co-sponsored an Education Finance Symposium. Molly A.
Hunter, Access Managing Director, led a wide ranging
discussion of school funding issues in the symposium’s
opening plenary, and Dr. Alvin Thornton, former chair
of Maryland’s Commission on Education Finance,
Equity, and Excellence provided an inspiring keynote
address. Also in November, at the Center on Budget and
Policy Priorities’ 14th annual State Fiscal Policy
Conference, participants from over 30 states met in
Bethesda, Maryland to discuss a wide range of topics
on state government responsibilities, including “Financing
a Good Education for All Children” (find a CBPP
fiscal policy non-profit in
your state).
Working Together in Pennsylvania
EPLC
President Ron Cowell hosted the Pennsylvania finance
symposium and clearly explained the shortcomings of
the state’s “non-system” for funding
schools. He concluded that the state violates all the
principles of a sound education finance system, having
gross inequities and inadequacies, unpredictable funding
from year to year, and a lack of accountability for
its public officials. Cowell urged that a greater share
of funding come from the state, which is currently in
the bottom five states in this regard.
In other sessions, state legislators described their
perspective on current state school funding issues,
advocates and officials discussed the pending statewide
costing-out study and the completed Allentown study,
and leaders of education organizations asked participants
to consider the pros and cons of proposed legislation
on school employee health benefits and the condition
of the school employee retirement system. Last, but
no less critical, advocates talked about building public
and policymaker support for better school funding in
Pennsylvania.
Symposium co-sponsors included Education Law Center,
Good Schools Pennsylvania, A+ Schools, Pennsylvania
Association of Rural and Small Schools, Pennsylvania
PTA, Mon Valley Education Consortium, Lutheran Advocacy
Ministry in Pennsylvania, and other organizations.
Center
on Budget and Policy Priorities
Over two dozen workshops at CBPP’s conference
offered insights on fiscal analysis, communications,
and numerous budget and tax issues, and examined ways
to be effective advocates for constructive policy options.
Workshops focused on topics such as rural poverty, “ideological
assaults” on Medicaid, and budget transparency,
while plenary sessions analyzed recent federal election
results, promoted coalition building, and examined legislation
affecting immigrants. The education finance workshop,
moderated by Rich Huddleston, Arkansas Advocates for
Children and Families, also featured Ed Muir, American
Federation of Teachers, and Molly Hunter, National Access
Network.
The Center is a leading national policy organization
analyzing federal and state fiscal policy as well as
public programs that affect low- and moderate-income
families and individuals. The Center’s research
helps to ensure that the needs of low-income families
and individuals are considered in public debate. The
Center also develops policy options to alleviate poverty,
particularly among working families. Since its founding
in 1981, the Center has gained a reputation for producing
materials that are balanced, authoritative, accessible
to non-specialists, and responsive to issues currently
facing the country.
The Center developed its State Fiscal Project, now
accounting for half of the Center’s activities,
during the 1990s when the federal government devolved
responsibility for many areas of low-income policy to
the states. Its growing state work includes collaborating
with state non-profits — including the members
of the State Fiscal Analysis Initiative — to build
their capacity to conduct sound budget and policy analysis
and participate effectively in policy debates. An increasing
number of these groups are undertaking work on fiscal
priorities and exploring new directions for alleviating
poverty.
Prepared November 30, 2006
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